March 2, 2011

The Necessity of Barriers

The inherent concept of bridge barriers is a sensitive, hot-button issue. But at a certain point, the barriers must be accepted for what they are, and not be publicized into anything more or less then their inherent function.

Yesterday, the barriers’ lead architect Nader Tehrani presented 21 potential preschematic designs at four separate open forums held on campus and in the City of Ithaca. The designs ranged from vertical bar barriers, to mesh or bar combination coverings, to mesh netting beneath the bridges. Many attendees of the forums continued to advocate that the barriers are irrelevant and will do nothing to stop suicide; an argument that has been used since the University began discussing building the permanent barriers almost a year ago.

The doubters of the barriers’ arguments are ignoring the existence of “impulsive” suicide cases. Numerous studies have shown that cutting off the means to commit suicide can often result in “impulses” passing. By building the barriers, the thousands of students who walk over the bridges each day are met with an immediate resistance to any impulsive thought of self-harm that may come about during a given stressful school week.

To this end, Tehrani’s assertion last week that increased funding for more barriers around the gorges would be beneficial to overall campus safety misses the primary purpose of the barriers entirely.

To build barriers around all edges of the gorges would be unnecessary, unsightly and would be ineffective in preventing the potential for “method substitution.” There will always be additional options for self-harm, even if the entire campus were to be proofed for safety concerns.

The barriers must be accepted as a comprehensive effort on behalf of the University to improve student mental health and stem the overall risk of suicide. They are not a stand-alone measure guaranteed to prevent suicides — indeed, they were never advertised as such. Included in this effort is the recent $1 million investment into Gannett Health Center by the University, which will help a broader range of students than barriers ever will. The string of forums and verbal commitments by the University only do more to emphasize the fact that the barriers are a smaller part of a broader initiative. Denials that they have any significance, or claims that they must be extended as an all-encompassing safety measure, are flawed.

Whatever form the barriers take, they are crucial to the long-term mission of the University in ensuring the health and safety of its students.

Related

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg extended an invitation last month to higher education institutions, including Cornell, to build an applied science research facility in the city.Cornell has not yet made a decision about whether it plans to submit an expression of interest, but will do so before the March 16 deadline, according to Claudia Wheatley, interim deputy University spokesperson.“There are discussions going on, but we don’t know where we’ll end up at this time,” Wheatley said.According to Julie Wood, press secretary at New York City Economic Development Corporation, the invitation came from an idea to stimulate growth in technology, research and science fields within the city.“Our goal is to create an applied sciences campus that promotes New York City as the twenty-first century capital of innovation to match its standing as a global capital of other industries,” Wood said.In a city press release, Bloomberg explained why New York is an ideal place to build such a facility.“New York City has all the ingredients to complement an applied science and engineering hub — a highly educated global population, unparalleled financial and business community to provide capital and support for new ventures and existing top-notch institutions performing cutting-edge research,” Bloomberg said. “We want to capitalize on those strengths.”According to the release, the city plans to “make a capital contribution, in addition to possibly providing land and other considerations, commensurate with the respondent’s investment.”Four possible sites have also been identified by the city: the Navy Hospital Campus at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Goldwater Hospital Campus on Roosevelt Island, Governor’s Island and the Farm Colony on Staten Island.

The Cornell women’s lacrosse team (1-1, 0-0 Ivy League) defeated rival Colgate (2-2) on Wednesday in a close game, 15-14. It was the second game of the season and the first win for this year’s squad, which is now looking forward to its next game tomorrow against Harvard.“[Colgate] turned it into a very exciting game,” said senior tri-captain Libby Johnson.Much of the first half consisted of the two teams swapping points back and forth, with Libby Johnson, junior captain Jessi Steinberg and junior Katie Kirk all scoring goals for the Red.